Montalcino
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Our very different second week in Italy began as we picked up our car rental in Lucca. Having studied street signs all the previous week, we entered the autostrada confident we could survive. Heading first eastward toward Florence and then southward, the drive was fairly easy and not too stressful. (Of course, that’s the navigator speaking. Patty did all the driving and did it well.) After an autogrill lunch stop and payment of 9 euros in tolls, we were finally in the Tuscan countryside on more challenging roads.
The landscape was beautiful. At the first opportunity, we pulled over to celebrate our arrival, take some photos and enjoy the peaceful scene:
Our transportation, a Renault diesel-powered stick-shift served us well:
An approaching weather front made for some dramatic scenes as we got closer to Montalcino:
This photo of the main street into Montalcino makes us laugh. It was taken a few days later after we had ourselves negotiated the narrow streets through town to get to our accommodations. And we had wondered if OUR little vehicle would fit! We can personally attest that both of these cement trucks (there is one hidden in front) made it safely out the other end of town shortly thereafter:
The windows of our apartment are visible in this shot. They include the four dark, shuttered windows on the top floor above the car and two others that are partly hidden:
This cobblestone “street” is steep. At first, we puzzled how this resident’s car reached this spot as there are stairs behind the vehicle. Finally, we deduced the driver used the tiny street to the right of the car.
The apartment was comfy, clean, homey and attractive:
Just gotta love that medieval-style front door:
The kitchen was nicely equipped with everything needed to cook except the groceries:
This is a section of the main street in town. You might even call this the main piazza as it fronts the town hall and is abnormally flat. The cement trucks would have come right through here from the left side of the town hall:
Many side streets had peekaboo views toward surrounding valleys:
Some streets were intriguing for other reasons:
Montalcino’s Fortezza may have provided excellent fortification of the town in the 14th century but, today, the empty shell fortifies only customers of a wine bar inside:
In this photo, with the Fortezza on the right, it is easy to spot and appreciate the town’s Duomo and the town walls:
This is where we spotted the cement trucks exiting the town.
Off the beaten path, we explored the dirt track visible beneath the town walls and discovered a secluded walk with lovely views and shelter from the nippy wind:
The peace and quiet were marvelous!
All too soon, the track ended at a playground back inside the town walls. However, the walk so rejuvenated Patty that, like a kid again, she couldn’t resist the “springy horse”:
